Magnetic switch or valve operator



Nov. 7, 1961 J. s. HAMMOND 3,008,018

MAGNETIC SWITCH OR VALVE OPERATOR Filed May 26, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENT OR. JG'IN S. HANMMD B W aw ATTORNEY Nov. 7, 1961 J. s. HAMMOND MAGNETIC SWITCH 0R VALVE OPERATOR 2 Sheets-She et 2 Filed May 26, 1958 INVENTOR. JU'IN HAMMOND ATTORNEY United States Patent Office 3,008,018 Patented Nov. 7, 1961 3,008,018 MAGNETIC SWITCH R VALVE OPERATOR John S. Hammond, 34 Lincoln Ave., Greenwich, Conn. Filed May 26, 1958, Ser. No. 737,712 7 Claims. (Cl. 200-87) This invention relates to a magnetic operator for switches and valves and more particularly to a magnetic control device for switches or valves which opens and closes the same by means of a predetermined movement of the device.

An object of the present invention relates to a magnetic operator and switch which is a self-contained unit with flexible conducting wires.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a switch and magnetic operator which is activated by gravitational movement.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotatable magnet in a raceway that creates a magnetic field when in a predetermined position which thereby activates a switch or a series of switches.

A still further object of the present invention is the utilization of a pendulum magnetic body in order to maintain the device in a certain predetermined equilibrium position in the horizontal and vertical planes, and to maintain this position.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a diaphragm valve arrangement which is operated by the present magnetic control device.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of an economical, reliable, self-contained magnetic switch or valve operator which is effective for the purposes intended.

Another object of the present invention is the pro- -.vision of a switch or valve magnetic control device that may be activated by gas or oil pressure, flow temperature or liquid level or elapsed time.

The above and other features, objects and advantages of the present invention will be fully understood from the following description considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the magnetic control device for switches constructed in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of a modification thereof containing a magnetic operator locking device;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic view of a magnetic operator associated with a diaphragm valve in one position of said operator;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic view of the magnetic operator of FIG. 3 in a different position thereof;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic view of another embodiment of the present invention incorporating a cylinder and a piston reciprocating therein as well as the magnetic switch operators constructed in accordance with the invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings and especially to FIG. 1 in which a magnetic switch operator and switch are housed in a self-contained unit referred to generally by the numeral and having flexible, current-carrying leads 12, 13 and 14 secured to contacts. The unit 10 comprises a housing 16 having a section 18 provided with a curvilinear raceway 20 in which is movable a disc 21 preferably of brass and a permanent magnet 22 centrally located therein. Housing section 18 is provided with a front cover 23 which is illustrated as substantially broken away. The magnet 22 is shown herein incorporated in a disc but it is to be understood that other configurations may be utilized in forming the carrier and magnetic body. The highest elevation of the raceway appears at the point 24. In section 26 of the housing 16 a magnetic pole piece or armature 28 is positioned adjacent to the wall 30 dividing the sections 18 and 26 of the housing 16. A projection 32 is secured to pole piece 28 and has pivotally secured thereto an arm 34. The arm 34 is furthermore pinned at 36 to the bifurcation of the bifurcated support rod 38. Fixed contacts 40 and 42 are secured to the bottom of section 26 of the housing 16 while movable contact 44 is secured to the arm 34. A spring 46 normally urges the movable contact 44 into engagement with fixed contact 42. It should be apparent that upon the movement of the magnet 22 to the position in the raceway 20 shown in full lines the magnetic field of the magnet 22 attracts the armature pole piece 28 whereupon the arm 34 pivots to move the contact 44 against fixed contact 40 against the pressure of spring 46.

The housing 16 rotates about the central axis of shaft 48. The forward projecting part 50 of section 18 of the housing 16 is provided with a series of teeth 52 and has co-acting therewith a toothed adjusting device 54. By adjusting the position of the adjusting device 54 on the part 50 of the housing section 18 the angle of tilt necessary to displace the disc 22 in the raceway 20 and thereby operate the device is changed. A clamping screw 56 removably holds the adjusting device 54 on the selected teeth 52 of the device.

FIG. 2 illustrates an alternative embodiment of the invention in which a casing 58 is provided with a partially toothed raceway 60 curved in a direction opposite to raceway 20 of FIG. 1. The disc 62 is provided with teeth 64 which mate with the correspondingly shaped teeth on the raceway 60. A permanent magnet 66 is embedded in a section of the outer periphery. Mounted on top the housing 58 is a standard 68 having an arm 70 pivoted thereto at 72. One end of arm 70 has secured to it a movable contact 74. Fixed contacts 76 and78 are positioned on opposite sides of movable contact 74. An helical spring 80 attached at opposite ends to the arm 70 and the casing 58 normally urges the movable contact 74 away from engagement with fixed contact 76. Mounted on the other end of arm 70 is a ferrous armature pole piece 82 in the form of a freeswinging pendulum. Thus, only when the magnet 66 is in the position shown in FIG. 2, i.e. with the magnet 66 adjacent to the pendulum 82, will the arm 70 pivot and contact 74 thereon engage fixed contact 76. It should be apparent that the device shown in FIG. 2 must be precisely in the horizontal and vertical plane for the pendulum 82 to be attracted to the magnet 66 because if casing 58 is tilted on its longitudinal axis either to the right or the left or backward or forward the pendulum will tlit and will move out of the magnetic field of magnet 66 even though the correct position of toothed disc 62 is attained.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are directed to a construction wherein the present magnetic operator is incorporated in a diaphragm valve arrangement. A fluid inlet duct 84 has a flexible branch conduit '86 leading into pilot valve assembly 88 including a casing 89. A flexible vent port 90 extends out of the casing 89 and is spaced from, but oppositely arranged to, branch conduit 86. An armature 92 with a pilot valve 94 is operated magnetically by a movable magnet 96 in the raceway 98 of attached housing 100. A spring 102 is fixed at one end to casing 89 and at the other end to pilot valve 94. Flexible tube 104 leads from the casing 89 into the main valve housing 106. Thus, when the casing 89 with its pilot valve assembly is moved in a predetermined direction the movable magnet 96 operates the armature pole piece 92 against the pressure of spring 102 to close branch conduit 86 as seen in FIG. 3. The fluid, therefore, moves through the opening 108 between the valve seat 110 and the diaphragm valve 112 and out the outlet pipe 114. However, when the magnet 96 moves away from the armature 92 the spring 102 forces pilot valve 94 against the vent port 90 as seen in FIG. 4 and the fluid flows into the casing 69, flexible tube 104 and main valve housing 106 on the top side of diaphragm valve 112 thereby forcing valve 112 on the valve seat 110 and preventing movement of the fluid into the outlet pipe 114. It is apparent, therefore, that a magnetic operator constructed in accordance with the present invention may be utilized to control a valving device.

FIG. illustrates a series of switches actuated by a magnet incorporated in a plunger, the latter being operable in a cylinder. In the embodiment shown, the plunger 116 reciprocates in cylinder 118 by means of hydraulic or pneumatic force. The aforesaid hydraulic or pneumatic force enters cylinder 118 by means of conduit 120. A time delay vent 122 permits the medium behind the plunger 116 to be bled off upon the movement of the plunger 116 from the left to the right in the cylinder. A shaft 124 is screw threaded to plunger 116. A compression spring 126 surrounds the shaft 124 in the cylinder 118 and urges the plunger 116 to the left in the cylinder. The plunger 116 furthermore has two magnets 128 and 130 embedded in different surfaces thereof. The cylinder mount 132 is also illustrated in FIG. 5. Also shown are three switch assemblies in which like part bear like reference numerals. In this connection, a standard 134 is mounted on the exterior of cylinder 118 having a pivoting arm 136.

It is within the scope of the invention to construct the housing 16 with a raceway having a detent therein wherein the magnet 22, when activated, may drop in the detent to thereby effect a latching action. The magnet 22 then may be reset to the unlatched position manually, or by another magnet. The reset may done externally.

Arm 136 has an armature pole piece 138 secured to one end thereof while the other end thereof carries movable contact 140. Fixed contacts 142 and 144 are also shown in FIG. 5. Spring 146 serves to bias the fixed contact 140 away from fixed contacts 142 and 144 when the armature 138 is not attracted by the magnetic fields of either magnet 128 or magnet 130.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be understood that the latter may be embodied otherwise than as herein specifically illustrated or described and that in the illustrated embodiment certain changes in the details of construction may be made without departing from the principle of the invention within the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A magnetic switch operator device comprising a housing containing all the operative elements of the device therein, a slightly curved raceway in said housing, a magnet in said raceway movable in said raceway upon tilting said housing in a given direction and with a given angularity, a switch armature, a movable contact connected to said switch armature, at least one fixed contact, said magnet when moved to a position in said raceway adjacent to said armature the magnetic attraction of the former causes said switch armature to be moved whereby contact between said movable and fixed contact is made.

2. A magnetic switch operator device as set forth in claim 1 wherein the axis of rotation of said housing is substantially transverse to the movement of said magnet in said raceway.

3. A magnetic switch operator device comprising a housing containing all the operative elements of the device therein, a slightly curved raceway in said housing having its highest elevation at an intermediate portion thereof, a disc-shaped element having an outer rim of non-ferrous metal and an inner hub portion of permanent magnetic material, said disc-shaped element rolling in said raceway upon tilting said housing in a given direction and with a given angularity, a switch armature, a movable contact connected to said switch armature, at least one fixed contact, said disc-shaped element when moved to a position in said raceway adjacent to said armature the magnetic attraction of the former causes said switch armature to be moved whereby contact between said movable and fixed contact is made.

4. A magnetic switch operator device comprising a housing; a partially toothed, slightly curved raceway in said housing having its lowest elevation in the intermediate portion thereof; a toothed disc provided with a permanent magnet being a segment of its periphery operable on the toothed portion of said raceway; a ferrous switch armature located exterior to said housing; a movable contact connected to said switch armature; at least one fixed contact; said permanent magnet, when moved to a position in said raceway adjacent to said armature, the magnetic attraction of the former causes said switch armature to be moved whereby contact between said movable and fixed contact is made.

5. A magnetic switch operator device as set forth in claim 4 wherein said armature is a pendulum, and means suspending said pendulum in the direction of said housing permitting contact to be made between the fixed and movable contacts only when said housing is in the proper vertical and horizontal planes and said permanent magnet is located adjacent to said pendulum.

6. A valving device comprising a tiltable first housing, a pivotable closure member including a ferrous armature in said first housing, a second housing, a diaphragm valve in said second housing, a flexible conduit connecting said first and second housing, a flexible supply pipe extending through said first housing and in said second housing, a curved raceway juxtaposed to said first housing, a disc-shaped element having a permanent magnet therein rolling in said raceway upon tilting of said first housing in a given direction and with a given angularity, said disc-shaped element when moved to a position in said raceway adjacent to said ferrous armature the magnetic attraction of said element causes said ferrous armature to be moved whereby said closure member alternately opens and closes said flexible supply pipe to thereby operatively control the operation of said diaphragm valve.

7. A magnetic switch operator device comprising a housing containing all the operative elements of the device therein, a slightly curved raceway in said housing having its highest elevation in an intermediate portion thereof, a permanent magnet in said raceway movable upon tilting said housing in a given direction and with a given angularity, a ferrous switch armature, a movable contact connected to said switch armature, at least one fixed contact, said permanent magnet when moved to a position in said raceway adjacent to said armature the magnetic attraction of the former causes said switch armature to be moved whereby contact between said movable and fixed contact is made, and adjustable means on said housing changing the angle of tilt of said housing that is necessary to displace said magnet in the raceway and consequently make contact between said movable and fixed contacts.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,245,596 Lindberg June 17, 1941 2,305,974 Matthews Dec. 22, 1942 2,310,504 Aubert Feb. 3, 1943 2,353,740 Malone July 18, 1944 2,401,347 Hansen June 4, 1946 2,575,086 Atchison Nov. 13, 1951 2,604,561 Simon July 22, 1952 2,628,296 Dillman Feb. 10, 1953 2,649,712 Dale Aug. 25, 1953 2,770,697 Kellett Nov. 13, 1956 2,791,657 Bloxsom May 7, 1957 2,794,868 McMorran et al. June 4, 1957 2,905,811 Smith Sept. 22, 1959 

